Suicide - Death by One's Own Hand

Suicide is the act of taking one’s own life. The highest risk ages would be between adolescence and thirty five. According to the World Health Organization, “It is estimated that along with the one million successful suicide attempts, there are another one to two million unsuccessful suicide attempts each year.” Suicide is among the top ten causes of death in the United States.

Males make the most successful suicide attempts, while females make more attempts overall. This is due to the fact that men use more violent means of completing the act, such as guns or knives. Women do make more unsuccessful attempts and usually use poisons or pills. Most suicides are related to drug and alcohol dependence; some are psychiatric in nature, with depression being the leading cause. Some are self-sacrificing in nature, which means that they committed the act while trying to save someone else; military suicide is common during wartime with suicide bombers. Some suicide is due to too much physical and or emotional pain, etc.

Some of the warning signs that someone is thinking about suicide include talking about hurting oneself, looking for ways or planning to hurt oneself, or talking or writing about ways to hurt oneself. They may also exhibit feels of hopelessness and loneliness, act reckless, or have an careless type of attitude. The person may feel trapped, as if there is no way out, and there may be an increase in drug or alcohol abuse. They may stay away from friends and family or people in general and feel they have no reason to live or no purpose in life. If you or someone you know shows any of these signs, seek help immediately.